As expected, Pebble on Monday announced the Pebble Steel, it’s second-generation smartwatch ready to meet the needs of consumers that want a device with better build quality.

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While the Steel offers the same features as the previous Pebble smartwatch, including 5-7 battery life, waterproof features and Android and iOS support, the new smartwatch is thinner and it’s made of forged and CNC-machined stainless steel. Furthermore, the display is protected with Corning Gorilla Glass, and the lens includes an anti-fingerprint coating. Check out the device in the gallery below:

The Pebble Steel will be available in two configurations, including Brushed Stainless and Black Matte, each model coming with two bands including a matching metal one and a black leather strap. The device is available to order starting today for $249, which includes free courier shopping worldwide for early orders. The device will start shipping on January 28.

Interestingly, the Pebble Steel will also arrive with Pebble appstore support, the company’s own app store for smartwatch optimized apps. The Pebble appstore will launch by the end of January, and it will be available within the Pebble Android and iOS applications. Check out images showing the Pebble appstore in the following gallery:

The store will include categories like Daily Living, Remote Controls, Games, Notifications, Tools & Utilities, Sports & Fitness and Watchfaces, in order for users to enjoy a better browsing experience. Developers that will want their watchfaces or apps in the store at launch will have to submit them by January 9.

In addition to Yelp, Foursquare, GoPro and iControl, Pebble announced new apps for its products from companies including Pandora, ESPN and Mercedes-Benz.

Maybe, just maybe, the first smartwatch to make you not look like a thunderbird

MasterMuffin

“including 5-7 battery life” :D

This looks really nice, I can’t believe none of the big players have thought of making a smart watch look like a normal watch!

Ahmet C.

That’s days and not hours, right?

MasterMuffin

Right?

Ahmet C.

I don’t know. That’s why I’ve asked you.

MasterMuffin

I don’t know either, that’s why the “right?” suggesting that it probably is so

Ahmet C.

Well, we are stuck. Anyone here knows about this? Help us out here!

MasterMuffin

I Googled it, it’s days

Ahmet C.

Hurray, we have an answer! Thank you.

Jacob

Its days, I looked on the actual webpage.

Ryu

Looks very nice. I am tempted

Siphiwe

I’m a little behind with the syllabus here, does this smart watch depend too much on a smartphone to work efficiently much like the GALAXY Gear? Or it simply works on its own? Does it support calls?

Geez, I have so many questions. I’d like to go on and on and on and on…

Campbell

On its own, the pebble is still a watch. Without the phone you can use any of the apps/watchfaces you’ve installed on the pebble. When it’s disconnected from the phone, obviously you lose the functionality of receiving notifications, or controlling your phone in any way.

With pebble, you can:
view/answer/decline calls (but not talk on the pebble, there’s no mic)
view notifications, (texts, emails, facebook messages, ect)
see updates (like missed calls, weather status ect.)
control your phone (change music player, or if you download the app “tasker”, you can do anything)

The galaxy gear has a lot less support, but a lot more functionality.
It can do all of those things, plus it has a camera, and a speaker and a mic. So you can talk on the phone on your watch. The only cons of the galaxy gear, is that it has around a 30 hr battery life, and isn’t waterproof.